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Lot Essay
According to the Archives of De Bethune this is the only example of DB5 in steel ever made.
The present watch exemplifies how, even in modern times and at affordable price levels, the shrewd collector can find remarkably important and collectible timepieces.
The present wristwatch is an example of the DB5 model. It perfectly epitomizes the style of the manufacturer, one of the foremost interpreters of the modern concept of elegance The generous dimensions and unusual lugs are traits typical of 21st century watchmaking, while the dial design is clearly reminiscent of vintage timepieces.
So far, this model was known only in precious metals, but the present piece redefines that knowledge: De Bethune confirms this is the one and only stainless steel DB5 ever made. In fact, it was given a new reference: DB5S (for Steel). It was made on special request for one of the most important Italian retailers, Turin-based Alfredo Fagnola, and delivered on 25 November 2002.
As it turns out, the provenance of this timepiece is as remarkable as its case material. It was owned by the late Romolo Siena, one of the most important Italian TV directors. Active since the early days of Italian television, Mr. Siena began his TV career in 1953, and eventually directed many of the most historical and important Italian TV programs (Lascia o Raddoppia?, Festival di Sanremo multiple times, Canzonissima among others). Upon his death in 2004 at 81, his son Pierfilippo inherited his estate. The watch was rediscovered while cataloguing the possessions of his father stored in his Roman flat.
The present watch exemplifies how, even in modern times and at affordable price levels, the shrewd collector can find remarkably important and collectible timepieces.
The present wristwatch is an example of the DB5 model. It perfectly epitomizes the style of the manufacturer, one of the foremost interpreters of the modern concept of elegance The generous dimensions and unusual lugs are traits typical of 21st century watchmaking, while the dial design is clearly reminiscent of vintage timepieces.
So far, this model was known only in precious metals, but the present piece redefines that knowledge: De Bethune confirms this is the one and only stainless steel DB5 ever made. In fact, it was given a new reference: DB5S (for Steel). It was made on special request for one of the most important Italian retailers, Turin-based Alfredo Fagnola, and delivered on 25 November 2002.
As it turns out, the provenance of this timepiece is as remarkable as its case material. It was owned by the late Romolo Siena, one of the most important Italian TV directors. Active since the early days of Italian television, Mr. Siena began his TV career in 1953, and eventually directed many of the most historical and important Italian TV programs (Lascia o Raddoppia?, Festival di Sanremo multiple times, Canzonissima among others). Upon his death in 2004 at 81, his son Pierfilippo inherited his estate. The watch was rediscovered while cataloguing the possessions of his father stored in his Roman flat.